A co-worker holds a candle during a memorial for Dr. Jack Chen, who died Friday in El Salvador during a surfing trip.

A co-worker of Dr. Jack Chen wears a button with his photograph during a candlelight memorial in Orange on Monday.

About 200 co-workers and friends crowd together during a memorial atop the parking structure at 280 S. Main St. in Orange. Dr. Jack Chen died during an apparent surfing accident Friday.

As fellow workers share memories of Dr. Jack Chen, Marsha Stanton, left, and Ryan Fernan, right, listen along with about 200 friends and co-workers on top of an Orange parking structure during a sunset memorial.

Erica Brooks is consoled by Chris Grant during a memorial service for Dr. Jack Chen, who died while surfing in El Salvador, according to officials. Brooks worked with Chen as a medical assistant.

Dr. Jack Chen specialized in spine surgery and worked with the Orthopaedic Specialty Institute in Orange.

ORANGE – The tears and stories flowed as about 200 friends and co-workers remembered Dr. Jack Chen, a surfing surgeon who died while taking on 15-foot waves off El Salvador.

The orthopedic surgeon who worked in Orange died Friday at El Sunzal beach when a large wave threw him against rocks, Salvadoran media reported. Local police and naval forces responded, and authorities confirmed Monday that his body had been recovered at nearby San Blas beach. The area had experienced rough surf through the weekend, and another death was reported at a nearby beach.

Chen, 39, of Rossmoor was a surgeon with the Orthopaedic Specialty Institute in Orange, specializing in neck and back procedures. His practice focused on treating spinal disorders, his website said.

“I think the tears are for us; we’re the ones who have to go on without him,” said Melissa Jameson, a registered nurse. “He’s in an amazing place.”

Mourners gathered on the top of a parking structure next to his office for a candlelight vigil to remember Chen, who they described as friendly, good-looking and charismatic – a Harley-riding surfer and snowboarder who was passionate about work and life.

“He was an amazing person. He grabbed life with both hands and enjoyed it to the fullest,” said Miguel Prietto, a physician who worked with Chen.

Fellow surgeon Steve Barnett said Chen was known to take off in the afternoon in between patients to hit the surf. His favorite surf spots were Huntington Beach and Trestles.

“We celebrate Jack’s life, and realize he passed on doing what he loves to do,” Barnett said.

Linda Wyckoff said she knew Chen through her work at St. Joseph Hospital and her husband went on to be Chen’s patient. Before surgery, her husband feared he would never walk again. Wyckoff said Chen looked him in the eye and said simply, “We’re not going to let that happen.”

“He was an especially kind and very warm, caring doctor,” Wyckoff said.

As news spread, tributes sprang up on Facebook for Chen, his wife and two children, she added.

“Everyone at St. Joseph that knew him is sad today,” she said.

Chen was an active athlete, his practice’s website said. At UC Berkeley, he played rugby and rowed on the crew squad, and in more recent years, he ran marathons and competed in triathlons as well as surfing.

It was the biggest swell El Salvador has seen this season, perhaps in years, with waves of 15 feet and larger, said Edward Smith, an employee at Roca Sunzal hotel, which sits directly in front of where Chen was pulled underwater.

“The surf was so big and the current was pulling so strong,” Smith said.

Chen had been surfing at the beach town Playa El Tunco at the surf spot Sunzal, a break known as a popular place to learn to surf, which usually produces mellow right-hand waves suitable for longboarders.

But on Friday, the waves, current and winds were so strong that even Smith, a native Hawaiian who has surfed 20 years, said he hesitated to go out.

The current pulled Chen toward a big, iconic rock at Bocanita that sits out in the ocean south of the surf break, and after his leash snapped and his board broke away, Chen attempted to hang onto the rock. Locals from the shore shouted at him to let go, hoping that the ocean’s current would eventually pull him to shore, Smith said.

A big set hit, and he disappeared under the water.

“He was fighting it, and I think he was in a state of panic because he was away from his board,” Smith said witnesses told him.

Smith arrived just as three employees at Roca Sunzal grabbed boards to attempt to find Chen.

“All this happened really quick,” Smith said. “The search continued for a half an hour.”

News hit the beach town of El Tunco that Chen’s body was recovered Monday morning three miles to the east.

In El Salvador, a developing country, lifeguards are typically not on patrol.

“We’re concerned about all visitors to the beach,” Smith said. “I don’t know what Jack’s skill level was, but it just illustrates that it doesn’t take much. You find yourself in a situation you’re uncomfortable with, and things can go wrong. … It’s really important for people to really respect the conditions of the surf. We get big surf here in El Salvador, and I think it’s always very important to respect the conditions and know what your limits are.”

A warning on the U.S. Department of State website warns travelers of strong ocean currents in El Salvador, citing 11 drownings of U.S. citizens since 2008.

At the memorial service, mourners lit candles while comforting one another. The tears flowed as music played in the background.

Chen’s physician assistant, Mykeisha Alzaatra, said he had recently bought property in El Salvador, with plans to build huts and teach locals how to recycle rainwater so they would have clean drinking water. He was meeting with planners to get the project up and running.

Laylan Connelly started as a journalist in 2002 after earning a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. Through the years, she has covered several cities for The Orange County Register, starting as a beat reporter in Irvine before focusing on coastal cities such as Newport Beach, Dana Point and Laguna Beach. In 2007, she was selected for a prestigious Knight New Media fellowship focusing on digital media at the UC Berkley, where she learned skills to adapt to the ever-changing online landscape. Using a web-based approach, she turned her love for the ocean into a full-time gig as the paper’s beaches reporter. The unique beat allows her to delve into coastal culture by covering everything from the countless events dotting the 42 miles of coastline, to the business climate of the surf industry, to the fascinating wildlife that shows up on the shores. Most importantly, she takes pride in telling stories of the people who make the beaches so special, whether they are surfers using the ocean to heal, or the founders of major surf brands who helped spawn an entire culture, or people who tirelessly fight to keep the coast pristine and open for all to enjoy. She’s a world traveler who loves to explore the slopes during winter months or exotic surf spots around the globe. When she’s not working, or maybe while she's researching a story, you can find her longboarding at her favorite surf spots at San Onofre or Doheny.

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